Soup is one of those cozy and comforting things— warming, grounding and flavorful, no matter what time of year. Making it from scratch is easy and so helpful to have around for times when you don’t have time or feel like cooking (which for me is often!). Making big batches and freezing containers I find extremely helpful. I also love adding different spices each time for variety, flavor and health benefits. This soup, made with vitamin-rich butternut squash is a helpful one to have around!

Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for 7-8 minutes until they start to brown. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute. Add the spices and a splash of water to form a paste. Stir.

Stir in the lentils, then add the water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and add the kale. Cover with a lid. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. Serve with rice or quinoa even better.

In a large soup pot, bring 5 cups of water and 5 cups of vegetable stock to a boil with quartered beets. Cook on medium heat, a simmer, until beets are fork tender. This takes about 20-30 minutes. After the beets are cooked add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and potatoes, and a splash of apple cider vinegar and cook for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender then take off the heat. Put the pot of soup into the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. Carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender in small amounts to blend half the mixture at a time or you can use an immersion blender in the soup pot. Blend the soup until it’s creamy. OR keep chunky if so desired. To serve, add chilled borscht into bowls and garnish with optional toppings, (sour cream, coconut yogurt, avocado. I like to add pinches of parsley or cilantro for garnish). Store in an airtight glass container for up to 1 week.

Directions

1.In a soup pot, saute the onion in the ghee over medium heat until starting to caramelized, about 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden and softened, about 5 minutes.

2.Add in the coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups of broth (carefully, it will splatter). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low head for about 15 minutes, until mushrooms are soft.

3.Puree using an immersion blender or a standing blender. Add an additional 1/4 cup of broth if desired to thin the soup.

4.If a very thick soup is desired (such as for a Green Bean Casserole), combine 1 tsp. arrowroot powder with 1 tbs. of water. Place the pureed soup back in the soup pan over medium heat, and whisk in this slurry. Cook for a minute or two until thickened.

Directions

1. Rinse and drain the split peas and add to a medium or large crockpot.

2. Add the onions, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, and dried herbs to the pot.

3. Rehydrate the sun-dried tomatoes by placing them in a small bowl and pouring hot water over them. After about five minutes, carefully drain and discard the hot water. Place the re-hydrated tomatoes in the crockpot with the other ingredients.

4. Pour the broth and water over the ingredients. Don’t worry if all the vegetables aren’t covered, they will break down during the cooking time.

5. Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

6. Once the time is up, pour in the can of coconut milk and use a large spatula to stir everything together, gently breaking up the cauliflower.

7. If you want a thicker texture to the stew, use a hand immersion blender until the stew has the texture you like.

8. Serve the stew hot, topped with chopped scallions and pumpkin seeds, if desired. For added intensity of flavor, I also recommend squeezing a bit of fresh lemon over the top of the stew.

9. The stew is also great served with cooked white or brown rice.

The coconut milk is the essential final ingredient and transforms the peas and veggies into a creamy, delicious meal, seen here served with cooked rice and topped with the scallions and pumpkin seeds.

Directions

1. Peel and chop the onion. Set aside. Halve the white part of the leeks and cut into half moon slices. 2. Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and leek and allow to sweat for a minute or two. Be sure they don't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the ghee, stir, cover the pot and allow to cook gently over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. 3. Peel and cube the yam. Halve the cauliflower and break into florets. Peel the celeriac and chop into cubes. Add all three vegetables to the pot with the onions and leeks. Stir to coat with ghee. 4. Add the broth and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Add the coconut milk, stir, and let sit to cool for 15 minutes. 6. Blend half the soup and return it to the pot with the unblended portion. Reheat. Add black pepper and more sea salt to taste (you may need quite a bit more salt if your broth does not have added salt). Serve!